Flash Forward -- "Black Swan" -- 10/15/09

[JasonF]

Originally Posted by JuryDuty

I'm wondering if we missed something about this. It seemed so crazy last episode when the Nazi was the only one to see dead crows. Could it be that what they're trying to suggest is that Somalia in 1991 is the only place with dead birds because of the incident there, and Germany in 2009 was the only place with dead crows because the incident stemmed from there? I can't recall if they suggested there were dead birds around the entire world...I'm thinking not...

They pulled up data on worldwide crow populations that showed a massive decline in the number of crows. That suggests it's more than just Germany.

(It also had about 3 months of post-blackout population data, so who the hell knows what's going on).

My favorite part of the episode was the priest who said "Yeah, lots of people need to volunteer since the blackout in order to cope with what happened ... so we're all filled up. Fuck you, lady. You're on your own!"

Either that or the fact that the woman who was trying to sell nuclear weapons to the terrorists and who may be involved with the blackout is apparently allowed internet access.

[DJariya]

I just saw this tonight and I thought it was alright. Definitely better than the wild goose chase from last week. The opening scene with everyone blacking out and the bus hitting the water was great.

I do have one question that I really wasn't clear on. What was the significance of Mark and Demetri going to Indio, CA? Seems like they really didn't get anything out of it other than locating that drug dealer who really had no significance to the plot.

Keep in mind they still have 21 more hours of story left to tell this season.

Next week does look like the action will pick up.

[lisadoris]

Originally Posted by DJariya

I do have one question that I really wasn't clear on. What was the significance of Mark and Demetri going to Indio, CA? Seems like they really didn't get anything out of it other than locating that drug dealer who really had no significance to the plot.

I thought there wasn't any significance and that was the point. The terrorist lady sent them on a wild goose chase and all they got for their trouble was running into a drug dealer by accident.

[Palaver]

Originally Posted by lisadoris

I thought there wasn't any significance and that was the point. The terrorist lady sent them on a wild goose chase and all they got for their trouble was running into a drug dealer by accident.

That was my take on it as well.

[JuryDuty]

Originally Posted by JasonF

They pulled up data on worldwide crow populations that showed a massive decline in the number of crows. That suggests it's more than just Germany.

(It also had about 3 months of post-blackout population data, so who the hell knows what's going on).

My favorite part of the episode was the priest who said "Yeah, lots of people need to volunteer since the blackout in order to cope with what happened ... so we're all filled up. Fuck you, lady. You're on your own!"

Well, then it does make no sense. :P

LOL yeah, after watching that scene, I thought, "Geez, he must be the worst clergy ever!" Loved how he heard her out only to a point, then passed a number and left the room! LOL

[SteelWill]

I think the priest was they guy "drowning" her in her FF. What denomination was that church supposed to be? I'm thinking she was getting baptized, which I'm sure will make for a riveting story.

Also, if there were a number of broadcast points for the event and crows were affected only within a certain range it would make the whole Nazi-seeing-dead-crows "revelation" somewhat less stupid, but given the super graphs we saw this is either not the case, or there are so many of those points it's still stupid.

[Timber]

No Janis no sale.

Seriously though it was kind of a bore this week. This show would probably work perfectly in the confines of a 13 episode season.

[calhoun07]

I don't know...it's no Lost but the show is holding my attention so far. It's better than any other attempt to clone the Lost phenomenon so far. Way better than Daybreak and Jericho to me.

[Palaver]

Originally Posted by SteelWill

I think the priest was they guy "drowning" her in her FF. What denomination was that church supposed to be? I'm thinking she was getting baptized, which I'm sure will make for a riveting story.

Good call. I think you hit it exactly.

[Neeb]

Originally Posted by Aegean2007

Yeah, I'm losing interest in this show pretty quickly.

It's like they decided to make a show that would try to get the most amount of viewers possible:

"Mystery" drama + Medical drama + Police procedural = Profit

I'm waiting for a new lawyer character to show up soon.

That was Gabrielle Union. She's supposed to marry John Cho's character.

[Nausicaa]

Originally Posted by Aegean2007

Yeah, I'm losing interest in this show pretty quickly.

It's like they decided to make a show that would try to get the most amount of viewers possible:

"Mystery" drama + Medical drama + Police procedural = Profit

I'm waiting for a new lawyer character to show up soon.

Totally agree. And they don't do any of it well. Just really dull.

This show isn't anywhere near as satisfying as Lost because it doesn't take any of risks that show took (although that might be a hard call three episodes in).

We have a pretty unique sci-fi premise, and yet it feels like we've seen all of this before. All the hospital stuff this episode was just dumb.

I also can't put my finger on this show's tone. The priest scene was baffling. Was that supposed to be comic relief?

[pinata242]

I thought about a possible baptism as well, but for 137 seconds? And with her in such a distressed state whereas everyone else got a feeling of their future state of mind?

As everyone else said, they really need to pick up the pace. Too many idle episodes already.

[SteelWill]

Originally Posted by pinata242

I thought about a possible baptism as well, but for 137 seconds? And with her in such a distressed state whereas everyone else got a feeling of their future state of mind?

As everyone else said, they really need to pick up the pace. Too many idle episodes already.

Hey I hope she actually is being drowned because that would likely be infinitely more interesting. But this show seems to be moving away from interesting as well as logical sense.

[Groucho]

I said this in another thread, but there's no way that Sulu actually dies. The show is telegraphing his death too strongly for it to actually occur. We'll get some lame twist like he was unconscious, in a coma, or in a dark room.

[GoVegan]

I'll stick around for a bit more because I like the idea, but something is definitely off. Were things in the real world this boring after September 11th? I'd like to think people would be having more interesting conversations after everyone on the planet getting a glimpse of the future.

[Groucho]

The fact that nobody is at a "April 10th Party" is bizarre to me. Everybody seems to be leading their normal lives in the their flash forwards, when you'd think they'd be aware, counting down, etc.

[Jadzia]

Originally Posted by Groucho

I said this in another thread, but there's no way that Sulu actually dies.

Plus, he knows it is from 3 bullets to the chest. Can't he just remember to wear his vest that day?

[Palaver]

Originally Posted by Groucho

The fact that nobody is at a "April 10th Party" is bizarre to me. Everybody seems to be leading their normal lives in the their flash forwards, when you'd think they'd be aware, counting down, etc.

How they handle the build up that date will be crucial. I find it hard to believe that everyone is going to willfully go about their normal lives on that date.

[pinata242]

I said it before, but I don't know how you avoid self-fulfilling prophecies. People are living their life based on what they saw (either avoiding or welcoming it).

Assuming the future version of them had the knowledge of the blackout and flash forwards (as evidenced by Mark's vision), then people are going to have to put themselves into the situation they saw so they can guide themselves to that point.

Has anyone seen anything necessarily bad other than absence of vision?

[siddd5]

Hate to say it, because I had hopes,. but the show is lame.

ABC promoted the shit out of it based on an excellent pilot, but its been shitsville since.

[SteelWill]

Originally Posted by pinata242

I said it before, but I don't know how you avoid self-fulfilling prophecies.

Maybe one way would be to put something like "crow deaths" on your pin up board instead of the name of the Nazi that punked you.

[The Bus]

This show is losing me.

[The Bus]

Yep, it lost me.

[GoVegan]

100 CCs of additional unnecessary medical drama STAT!

[DJariya]

Originally Posted by The Bus

Yep, it lost me.

Okay, enjoy your Volleyball practice then.